Bread-proofing apparatus.



S. OLSON. BREAD PROOFING APPARATUS.

APPLIoA'moN FILED JAN. a. 1912.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

ICE.

SAMUEL OLSON, OF CHICGU, ILLINOIS.

BREAD-rancune erranarus.

Speoicetion of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'?, 1912.

Application led January 8, 1912. Serial No. 669,960.

Y' To cllwhom it may Gomera.'

-of the bread during this portion of the` process.

It consists of the features and elements of construction described andshown in the drawings as indicated in the claims.

ln the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View showing one end of the proofingconveyer i itself, together with the automatic devices which are thesubject of this invention. Fig. v

2 is a side elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailView of the clutchoperating mechanism for the transferring drum.

There is conventionally illustrated at A; a machine-known in the art asthe rounderup or beller whose function is to form the dough intosubstantially spherical units. f

Leading from the baller there is shown a delivery chute at B, inclineddownwardly and terminating in a hinged portion, B, whose extreme lowerend is composed of a series of upwardly,v rounded fingers, B2,

designed to arrest the movement of the ballshaped unit of dough as it isdelivered from the baller, A.

A transferring drum, C, is mounted for rotation upon a shaft, C1,extending transversely of the chute', B, just beyond its terminatin, andthis drum, C, `is provided with outwardly extending curved. ngeis, C2,quite similar to the fingers, B2, of the chute,but so positioned upon.the drum, C, as to pass between the lingers, B2, as the drum is rotated.In this way, by the rotation of the drum the ball of dough which is heldby the lingers, B2, will' be picked up by the fingers, C2, as they passbetween the ngers, B2', if the drum is rotated in clock-wise: direction,as viewed: in Fig. 2. As shown, thedrum, C, is provided with twesetsoffingers, C, arranged thereon at diametri'- cally opposite points, butthis arrangement is only preferred and not essential.'

The dough being picked up by the fingers, C2, is carried over with thedrum about onchalf revolution and is dropped upon a horizontallytraveling apron, D, moving in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 1. The driving connections for this apron, D, and the transferringdrum, C, are geared together so 'that if the chute, B, is keptsuficiently supplied with balls of dough, these balls will be deliveredupon the apron, D, at regular intervals and will thus be regularlyspaced from one another thereon. The prooling conveyor proper, ismountedI adjacent to the apron, D. .lt consists merely (so far as thisinvention is concerned), of an endless link belt, E, provided at regularintervals with trough-shaped buckets, F, pivotally suspended from thebelt so as to be gravitationally held in proper position and preventedfrom ejecting their contents as the belt passes over its various guidewheels,-Gr.

It is desired to transfer the balls of dough from the apron, D, into thebuckets, F, so that each bucket shall contain four such balls or loavesequally spaced apart. For this reason, that part of the proofingconveyer which is nearest the apron, D, is arranged for vertical travel,the buckets moving upward past the side of the apron, D. The directionof travelof the conveyor is thus transverse to the direction of travelof the apron and its path may be said to be laterally adjacent to thepath' of travel of the apron. The apron D, is driven through bevelgears, H1 and H2, which are in turn actuated through sprocket wheels,and a drive chain, J, arranged 'to transmit power from one of the guidewheels, G, of i the proofing conveyor. l

The ejection of the loaves from the apron, D', and their delivery intothe buckets, F, is accomplished by a reciprocating pusher, K, consistingoff a pusher-board, K1, whose length in the direction of travel of the`apron, D, is substantially equal to thel length mension the transferringdrum, C, is arrangedto deliver the four loaves desired. Thepusher-board, K1', is carried by a lever arm-y pivotedin a floorbracket, K2, under the apron, D, and formed to reach around `and -abovethe apron. A pitman, L, connec'te'd at one end tothe lever arm, K, and

of oneY of the buckets, .F, within which dii" provided at its oppositeend with a follower?V roller, L1, in contact with a cam, M, is intendedto communicate reciprocation 'to the pusher. The cam, M, is rlgidlyconnected Vwith the nearest ofv the idlers or guide wheels, G, and isthus driven by the travel t pusher, K, at the instant when four loavescarried by the apron, D, come to the osition opposite one ofthe buckets,F, o the proofing conveyer. The four loaves are thus simultaneouslyshoved ofi the apron, D, into fthe bucket, F, which continues its upwardtravel at such a rate relatively tothe movement of the apron, D, thatthe next bucket, F, shall just'come into receiving position whenthe-next four Vloaves shall have ar- ,rived opposite .it upon the a ron,D.

It is vconceivable and pro able that occasionally the baller, A, mayfail to deliver the loaves exactly on time and it willwbe seen that if-sucha loaf or ball of dou h should be delivered just a moment too ateVto be picked up by the fngers,-C1, it would encounter the points ofthesel fin ers andv would-become hopelessly deforme besides so smearingup lthe fingers and the drum, C,

g as to seriously interfere with the operation of the machine. To meetthis contingency is the purpose of the hinging of the terminal portion,B1, of the chute, B. Extending downwardly from the pivot or hinge ofthis v member, B1, there is shown a bell crank arm,/B, to which there ispivotally connected alink, N, extendin to the lower end of a pivoted'presser arm, The shaft,C 1, as maybe noted from Fig. 3, is provided witha collar, C', having notches, C4, formed l disengaged fromthe'...notches, C, o shaft but whenever'a loaf of dough arrivesl in its'periphery, and each dimensloned to receive the inner end of one of theclutch bolts, Q, which are lslidably carried in the hub, C", of thedrum. The normal position of the clutch bolts is that in which thety hupon the terminal portion, B1, of the chute, this terminal portlon willbe .sli htly depressed or rocked about its hin'e ivot, thus movin lthelever arm, B, an "t e. presser arm,

the shaft, C1 ar enough "tffpush one of the clutch bolts, Q,ii1to engarement with one o f-the notches, C4, as the s aft, C1, revolves to aposition permittin this action.

. 'As willbehereinafter explaine ,the drum, C, will always come -to restwith one of the 'clutch bolts, Q, directly opposite the upper end of thepresser arm, P, so that this means are the linkage being so arrangedthaty ythe upper end ofthe presser arinjs moved "towar means;

of throwing in the clutch will alwaysbe operative; since the shaft, C1,is continuously revolving, its notches, C1, will however, notA always bein position to receive thelr clutch bolt,'Q, but this will merely resultin slightly delayin the de ression of the'element, B1. of thescute, ansince the weight of the loaf is there present, the above describedact-ion will-take placel assoon as the notch, C4, becomesreglstered-with the bolt, Q. To prevent the continuous rotation'of thedrum in case the next loaf is not delivered promptly enough tohold thepresser arm, P, 1n operative position and'thus insert the other clutchbolt, Q, into its corres onding notch, C, there is' provided atthearside of the drum from the chute, a wedge-shaped guide, R, positionedto engage the head of the clutch bolt as it passes, and thus to withdrawthe bolt from the notch, C4. Just as. the bolt is withdrawma pin, C,projecting from the end of the drum,l C,\w1ll be caught by thesquare-hookedV end, P1, of the presser arm, if

position by reason of the non-arrival of the the presser arm hasreturned to its normal next loaf upon the hinged portion of the chute,B1. Since .the clutch bolts, Q, the notches, C, and the pins, C, areall-provided in duplicate, the minimum dela of the drum by reason oflate arrival o the dough will amount to a half revolution, but as thetravel ofthe apron, D, is not retarded or arrested, this delay ofthetransferring drum, C, will result in the omissionof one loaf from theregular `quota of four.

It is wellunderstood by those familiar with the art that the purpose ofthe proofing conveyeris to carry the loaves of dough into a properlyheated, .closed room, and to a'llow them to remain therein fora certain'specified length of time in which they will rise or become light. It isalso well known that if the atmosphere of this room be too dry, therewill be formed an outer skin on each loaf which upon baking, becomes acrust-which is'. thicker and tougher than desirable. To 'preventthe'zffformation of such a surface, the present a', 'arat-us is providedin the proofing room wifhial series of open water troughs, T, through'which there are )laid steam pipes, S, it bein -intended that 'thehea-tof the steam shall e taken up by the `water so as to cause rslowevaporation of the latter in order ,to keep the atmosphere of the roomproperly'jmoistened. Fig. 2 shows also a water'suppl pipe, W, which maybe controlled byv any esired form of automatic valve so as to maintainCa constant water level in the trough, '11.

I claim c 1. In a device for the purpose indicated, an inclined chuteterminating at its lower end lin a series of fingers extending in-the,

direction of the chute, a rotary element/ I mounted for` revolutionabout an vaxis ex- Losanna tending transversely of. the direction of thechute, said rotary element being provided with outwardly extendingfingers positioned to register with the intervals between the fingers ofthe chute and thus adapted to pass between said fingers of the chute, areceiver for the material posit-ioned at the opposite side of the rotaryelement from that to which the chute is adjacent, and means forrevolving said rotary element.

2. In a device for the purpose indicated, an inclined chute terminatingin a series of fingers extending in the direction of the chute, a shaftextending transversely of said direction of the chute beyond the endthereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft and provided with outwardlyextending ngers positioned to register with the intervals between thefingers of the chute and thus adapted to pass said fingers when t-hedrum `is revolved, a portion of the chute being depressible by theweight of. material thereon, a clutch device adapted to engage the drumwith the shaft, operating .means for said clutch device connected withthe depressible portion of the chute, and means for revolving the shaft.

3. In a device for the purpose indicated, an inclined chute terminatingin a series of fingers extending in the direct-ion of the chute, a shaftextending transversely of said of the chute, and means for revolving thei chute, a shaft extending transversely of said direct-ion of the chutebeyond the end thereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft and provided withoutwardly extending fingers positioned to register with the intervalsbetween the fingers of the chute and thus adapted to pass said lingerswhen the drum is revolved, a portion of the chute being depressible bythe weight of material thereon, a clutch device comprising a notch inthe shaft and a radially movable clutch bolt in the drum, a presser armpositionable to engage the outerv end of the clutch bolt for thrustingsaid bolt into the notch of the shaft, a linkage connecting said presserarm with the depressible portion of the chute, and means for revolvingthe shaft.

5. ln a device for the purpose indicated, an inclined chute terminatingin a series of fingers extending in the direction of the chut-e, a shaftextending transversely of said direction of the chute beyond the endthereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft and provided with outwardlyextending lingers positioned to register with the intervals between thefingers of the chute and thus adapted to pass said fingers when `thedrum is revolved, a portion of the chute being depressible by theweightv of material thereon, a clutch device comprising a notch in theshaft and a radially movable clutch 'bolt in the drum, a presser armpositionable to engage the outer end of the clutch bolt for thrustingsaid bolt into the notch of the shaft, a linkage connecting said presserarm with the depressible portion of the chute, 85 a pin extending fromthe end of the drum at a point radially beyond the outer end of theclutchv bolt, the presser arm having an extension adapted to engage saidpin for arresting the drum when said presser arm stands out of positionfor engaging the bolt.

6. ln a device for the purpose indicated, an inclined chute `terminatingin a series of iingers extending in the direction of the chute, a shaftextending transversely of said direction o-f the chute beyond the endthereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft and provided with outwardlyextending lingers positioned to register with the intervals between thelingers of the chute and thus 190 l adapted to pass said iingers whenthe drum is revolved, a portion of the chute being depressible by theweight of material thereon, a clutch device comprising a notch in theshaft and a radially movable clutch bolt inv the drum, a presser armpositionable to engage the outer end of the clutch bolt for thrustingsaid bolt into the notch of the shaft, a linkage connecting said presserarm with the depressible portion of the chute, a 11o wedge fixedlymounted in the path of rotation of the outer end of the clutch boltsubstantially diametrically opposite the presser arm, the clutch boltbeing adapted for engagement by said wedge and the wedge being formed tocause withdrawal of the bolt from the notch by such engagement,

,and means for revolving the shaft,

ln testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, lllinois,this 5th 12o day of January, 1912.

'sartene etsen.

Witnesses:

Enna M. MAoINTosn, M. GERTRUDE ADY.

